Friday, May 30, 2014

Convertible Bench/Picnic Table you can make TOMORROW!

I was looking for used patio furniture on Kijiji, and saw a bench that converted to a picnic table.  I LOVED it, but the seller wanted $250.00 so I checked my favourite DIY queen Ana White and sure enough - she had a free plan for a convertible picnic table/bench.


Click here for her free plans

The materials, including screws and accessories cost me under $100.00 to make TWO benches.  Actually, the stain/sealer was free from my neighbour - so unless you have some lying around it will cost a bit extra.  I suggest hitting up your local Habitat for Humanity before building, they might have some of the lumber you need and they always have a good stock pile of paints, stains and sealers.


I love birds.  Like mega-super-duper-would-build-a-nest-in-my-hair-if-I-could love birds.  Since my Nanny passed away I have been finding blue birds and putting them around my house to remind me of her (they were her favourite).  I also add blue birds to custom items in my home (like my house number) so that it's a theme in the house.  Not a crazy theme, just a subtle one.  Subtly crazy.  Anyways, I googled images of blue bird stencils and drew one free hand on the bench (there's no way I'm paying for a stencil!)  I painted it with standard acrylic craft paint and when it was totally dry I stained it with the rest of the bench.  I was going to add something funky to the second bench, like old railroad-y font or something - but I'm really bad at lettering and talked myself out of it.  The point is, the possibilities are endless - personalize and spruce up your bench/picnic table and make it unique.


So, I bought the lumber on a Saturday afternoon and had these put together by dinner.  I sanded them the next day (about an hour each unit) and stained them the following day (another hour each bench). This could definitely be done in a day, or two - and can definitely be completed in a weekend.  This took me a while because, well, I have six kids, and there was a birthday so I needed to take breaks and bake a cake, etc.  
If you're itching for some new outdoor furniture and want to try your hand at building something, this project is great for beginners!

I can't wait to plant my rear end on this bench this weekend and get some serious ukelele practice in.  If you're a neighbour, I apologize - Matilda requested I learn the theme song from Dora the Explorer,  and Let it Go (from Frozen).  
Do-do-do-do-do-Dora! Do-do-do-do-do-Dora!  Dora Dora Dora the Explorer!
A great use of my "talents" if you ask me.

Happy Friday, I love you.


5 comments:

  1. I like them! Good job...
    http://www.shanty-2-chic.com/ also has some interesting projects

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  2. you never cease to amaze us where did you get the plans for these

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    1. The link for the plans is under the first picture. It's the same site I made Captain's day bed from - Ana White. If you want to give them a try and need a mitre saw, you know who to borrow one from :)

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  3. These are AMAZING!!!!!! Make me one! Way to make them yourself and stick it to the guy selling them for $250 on the jij. :) Did you cut all the pieces, or when you "bought the lumber" did they cut the pieces for you? Either way, these are beautiful, and I would like to hear the ukulele version of the Dora theme song. :)

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    1. I was at the local greenhouse yesterday and saw them for $399/each! I did the cutting, a lot of the pieces need to be cut at a 10degree angle and I'm not sure the cutting boys can manage stuff like that. I bought a mitre saw at a yard sale last year (in Tweed) and used that for all my cuts. PS - why is "bought the lumber" in quotations? Haha!!

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